I don't think I'd change the ending. I really enjoyed Peter's story even if I didn't agree with the author's take on it entirely. I think I'd have been interested in learning if his wife had any significant impact on his life aside from simply convincing him to take a adrenaline fused plane ride. This woman is part of huge pieces of his life and he barely even talks about her. It makes her feel as though she barely impacts him at all, which is kind of sad to me.

I agree with your statements about his wife - I wondered also when a story was going to feature her and there was nothing. This is definitely a missing piece of the book.

Given the option of a rewrite, I wouldn't include the chapter about Maasai. Just really too distressful since nothing was done to offer alternative solutions...you know, DoctorsWithoutBorders or something!
Otherwise, it was an excellent read and I very much appreciate Rob White taking the time to share these wise words with others. GOD Bless you too, RW!

Given the option of a rewrite, I wouldn't include the chapter about Maasai. Just really too distressful since nothing was done to offer alternative solutions...you know, DoctorsWithoutBorders or something!
Otherwise, it was an excellent read and I very much appreciate Rob White taking the time to share these wise words with others. GOD Bless you too, RW!

I definitely can recognize and appreciate this viewpoint. I, admittedly, wasn't overly fond of that chapter either and did feel slightly uncomfortable with the events of it. I do think it is kind of important insofar that it teaches us to respect and make efforts to understand other cultures, though. Sad as the event may have been, I do believe there is a lot of meaning behind it.

Given the option of a rewrite, I wouldn't include the chapter about Maasai. Just really too distressful since nothing was done to offer alternative solutions...you know, DoctorsWithoutBorders or something!
Otherwise, it was an excellent read and I very much appreciate Rob White taking the time to share these wise words with others. GOD Bless you too, RW!

I definitely can recognize and appreciate this viewpoint. I, admittedly, wasn't overly fond of that chapter either and did feel slightly uncomfortable with the events of it. I do think it is kind of important insofar that it teaches us to respect and make efforts to understand other cultures, though. Sad as the event may have been, I do believe there is a lot of meaning behind it.

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Yes, that's a newer mindset. But you know how a drowning nonswimmer can become so anxious that s/he puts even their rescuing lifeguard at risk? I've heard times when a lifeguard has had to clock one in order to be able to get'm back to shore. And I'm pretty sure the would be drowned person didn't complain!

Well, if I was visiting another culture and began to do something that would put my life at risk, I'd hope someone from there would warn and/or directly stop (say, if I obviously wasn't understanding the communication of warning) me. Now, let's say if someone stepped into my cultural area and attempted to propose a better or best way regarding a matter, I would evauate and decide but not feel offended; but my degree of open-minded and thankfulness regarding the exchange would be borne of a direct corrolation with the degree of emergency/life-danger.

So, for this, I can provide a specific example. Let's take sharia law. Which in the west, we recognize as a hindrance to the well-being of women. Now, there are local USA courts (perhaps state level, as well; not sure whether any federal courts have had to deal with any such case yet; a relatively certain that USA Supreme Court has not ever received any such case), who are deciding cases of events that have taken place in the USA but between/among those whose original culture(s) do not have a base in Judeo-Christian values or even Hammirabi Rules, for that matter, yet they want USA to accommodate their culture in our court systems. Well, that aims to change our culture to theirs. And if they're satisfied with their culture, then why did they decide to reside in ours, unless their gold diggers. I mean, if a way pointedly didn't work for you where it was already large scale? why should some other culture try to take it on as a neophyte?

Change is difficult. And, yes; perhaps if Rob had intervened and gotten some medical help to her and her child, she may have resented it earlier on but as soon as she saw the results of a healthy infant, I'm tempted to believe that she would've enjoyed 'a chapter' in her own life to write about.

I just am imagining that the precious little one was ill per something we, and even countries possibly right near her as well, shoo away with a drop of this or an injection of that because of our further knowledge and experience regarding healthcare.
In any case, if someone had what they considered to be life changing, toward the better -let's define 'better' as toward the continuance of life, and they became aware of the fact that I didn't have that information, I would most certainly not hate, resent or avoid them for having shared that information with me. Even if ultimately I disagreed about their information, I would have to, at minimum per the love of human fellowship, feel grateful that s/he took the risk and time to share with me what they gathered to be so vital.

I think it ended on the right story, totally. But I was a bit disappointed with the last line. After this guy - a peanut seller, so not a "successful" business millionaire in the normal motivational book sense - decided to live, based on the beauty of life, the final line is: "Do you accept the fact that you’re first class?" I felt that cheapened the message. I kind of wanted the final message to be that all the striving, the success, the money etc, it's not what life's all about. That when it comes down to it, just managing to live can sometimes be the success, and finding the best in it is often what makes it worth living. That's the polar opposite of what "accepting you're first class" means to me, which is totally individualistic.

I think the book walks that line a lot. It's trying to be different and give a message about small things being important, but it's written by a motivational guru who can't quite move away himself from the idea that happiness = success = money.

Thank you for this. I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiments here. In a book about personal transformation, I certainly wanted the final message to be a little more cogent. The final line in the book kind of summarizes my conclusion that the author was challenged to move beyond his self-importance. The term "first class" definitely cheapens the message. I understand he is trying to communicate that we all have innate worth. The words suggests that there are second and third classes, and so forth, which takes away from the intended meaning.

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.-Scott Adams

Given the option of a rewrite, I wouldn't include the chapter about Maasai. Just really too distressful since nothing was done to offer alternative solutions...you know, DoctorsWithoutBorders or something!
Otherwise, it was an excellent read and I very much appreciate Rob White taking the time to share these wise words with others. GOD Bless you too, RW!

I definitely can recognize and appreciate this viewpoint. I, admittedly, wasn't overly fond of that chapter either and did feel slightly uncomfortable with the events of it. I do think it is kind of important insofar that it teaches us to respect and make efforts to understand other cultures, though. Sad as the event may have been, I do believe there is a lot of meaning behind it.

-------------
Yes, that's a newer mindset. But you know how a drowning nonswimmer can become so anxious that s/he puts even their rescuing lifeguard at risk? I've heard times when a lifeguard has had to clock one in order to be able to get'm back to shore. And I'm pretty sure the would be drowned person didn't complain!

Well, if I was visiting another culture and began to do something that would put my life at risk, I'd hope someone from there would warn and/or directly stop (say, if I obviously wasn't understanding the communication of warning) me. Now, let's say if someone stepped into my cultural area and attempted to propose a better or best way regarding a matter, I would evauate and decide but not feel offended; but my degree of open-minded and thankfulness regarding the exchange would be borne of a direct corrolation with the degree of emergency/life-danger.

So, for this, I can provide a specific example. Let's take sharia law. Which in the west, we recognize as a hindrance to the well-being of women. Now, there are local USA courts (perhaps state level, as well; not sure whether any federal courts have had to deal with any such case yet; a relatively certain that USA Supreme Court has not ever received any such case), who are deciding cases of events that have taken place in the USA but between/among those whose original culture(s) do not have a base in Judeo-Christian values or even Hammirabi Rules, for that matter, yet they want USA to accommodate their culture in our court systems. Well, that aims to change our culture to theirs. And if they're satisfied with their culture, then why did they decide to reside in ours, unless their gold diggers. I mean, if a way pointedly didn't work for you where it was already large scale? why should some other culture try to take it on as a neophyte?

Change is difficult. And, yes; perhaps if Rob had intervened and gotten some medical help to her and her child, she may have resented it earlier on but as soon as she saw the results of a healthy infant, I'm tempted to believe that she would've enjoyed 'a chapter' in her own life to write about.

I just am imagining that the precious little one was ill per something we, and even countries possibly right near her as well, shoo away with a drop of this or an injection of that because of our further knowledge and experience regarding healthcare.
In any case, if someone had what they considered to be life changing, toward the better -let's define 'better' as toward the continuance of life, and they became aware of the fact that I didn't have that information, I would most certainly not hate, resent or avoid them for having shared that information with me. Even if ultimately I disagreed about their information, I would have to, at minimum per the love of human fellowship, feel grateful that s/he took the risk and time to share with me what they gathered to be so vital.

Okay dear, thank you so very much for your comment and time!

Steph

That's all certainly fair to say, but my point was merely that his chapter appeared to be regarding that particular sentiment. Additionally, he was advised not to get involved by another and there could be any number of reasons for that. There is no way of knowing whether or not assistance had ever been offered even before he arrived and whether or not it was turned down. While I don't disagree with you entirely, I do think there is a limit to where we should attempt interference when one might not want it. Granted, I would certainly prefer if assistance had been offered, but it is not up to me or anyone outside to force assistance on someone.

I do think, mainly, I had assumed the child's illness was irreversable, so admittedly that does play somewhat into my thoughts regarding this particular chapter, though I do recognize now that it may not have been the case.

As for Sharia law, I admit I have not read extensively on the subject, but my understanding was not that they wanted to change our culture, but rather that they want to continue to live with theirs. And as we stand in western culture, we make a lot of assumptions about other cultures that may not be true for those cultures. In that, my opinion is that the matter of what is and is not okay should be up to the person who is living that way, not to the one who isn't. As for why they wish to live in the United States, I would think it better to ask their reasons rather than to assume that they're "gold diggers" since conversation is the best way to come to a kind and thoughtful understanding of one another.

As with the Maasai, conversation would be important, as would asking and offering assistance. But, at the end of the day, respect is important as well and I wouldn't want that acknowledgement regarding respect of others who are different to be omitted from the book. I do appreciate your viewpoint, however. You've definitely provided me with the opportunity to think more on the matter, which is always welcome and appreciated.

A work of fiction needs no contractions in as much the author tells the truth. What one finds difficult to achieve, if achieved is a true measure of success according to his world. A good end, I will say.

I was satisfied with the ending and I don’t think I would change it at all. I believe it ended in a perfect message about how we perceive others in life. How money or status doesn’t make you first class because we are all first class. It gives you a different way to view people that I actually see making a difference.

It did seem like the stories built in intensity. The last story was probably the best to end on. I don't think I would put any other story in the ending spot.

I would really have to disagree with this point. I felt the chapters that included a dying baby and an earthquake that cost the author millions of dollars held far more weight to them than a peanut seller who decides not to die. The story about living in a small apartment in a dangerous part of town (potent) happens before the story about hosting a field trip (relatively impotent). The stories were strictly chronological; intensity had nothing to do with it.

I'm considering the ending to be the epilogue, in which the last line is a plug for his personal website. I enjoyed the book as a whole, but I walked away from it feeling like it was all something of a sales pitch. I fully understand self-promotion, but I think links like that are better suited to the back cover or something. Seeing it in the actual text was off-putting.

I'm considering the ending to be the epilogue, in which the last line is a plug for his personal website. I enjoyed the book as a whole, but I walked away from it feeling like it was all something of a sales pitch. I fully understand self-promotion, but I think links like that are better suited to the back cover or something. Seeing it in the actual text was off-putting.

I definitely know what you mean. I've seen authors do this on occasion, though it's usually in the acknowledgements or the author bio and not exactly as self-promoting as White's was. It's very situational whether I find self-promotion acceptable, and I feel like for a book that was already all about him, it was kind of a bad play.